Something is rotten in the state of Denmark

This post will be all over the place; I apologize in advance!

The internet is a wonderful tool or it can be a weapon.  Here is where I apologize in advance.  This morning I noticed after my morning constitutional that something green had come out of my body (my poop was green!).  It's not St. Patrick's Day!!! Why the hell are you celebrating the luck of the Irish, bowel????  Yes, I did read about an Irish menu.  So here's where the internet can be a "tool" (I am saying this in a not so nice way).  One of my friends shared a video on their Fb page about adolescents in Ireland making fun of American junk food and their reactions to this food.  I find this hard to believe.  Sure there are health conscious teens in Ireland....heck all over the world, but there are also health conscious teens here in the U.S.A.  The internet said "a typical Irish breakfast" or "snack" etc.....quite frankly looked like what the U.S. would say was a "typical" breakfast (pancakes), snacks (fruit).  So, back to my poop (hey, I apologized already!!!).  One can scare themselves silly reading health statements about different ailments.  Green poop, the internet said, is quite common but not talked about because it is.....embarrassing.  Challenge accepted!  I'll talk about it.

First look at what you've been eating before you become alarmed.  Too late.  That first swipe and green shows up; yep, you're alarmed!!! Green culprits include iron-packed veggies (spinach, broccoli).  Hold the phone.  In an attempt to eat healthy I've included broccoli with my meal every night (okay, 2 nights....but it's been in a row!).   I'm not taking iron supplements so I can rule that out.    Another reason could be your food is traveling too fast through your system.  I have no idea if this is the case; how does one know?  The internet says to watch your diet and stool. Tonight I will not include broccoli and see if it gets back to a normal color.  I know this is not the most exciting post to read, but we have to look out for one another, right?  So, Grainiacs, today's lesson is on green stool. 


Now aren't you glad you read my post today?  You are most welcome.

Tuesdays are for taking care of yourself.

Strawberry

Guess what day it is?

Monday, you say?

Time to hit the books, I say. 

sooooo glad they are in some sort of order now!!!

My second to last term at seminary is here.  Actually the term doesn't start till October 13th but these professors have realized what over-achievers this group has been (no, not me! although I have been known to compete really hard for that "A"-- now if I could only transfer that energy to combatting my fat! ((sigh)) ).  We got our Theology reading list and YeeOwZa!!!! Classes haven't even started and we are already behind.  A few of us were commiserating and comforting each other over the computer last night.

This morning I was reading Paul's letter to the 2 Corinthians and one of his first verses jumped out at me as I was thinking about my seminary cohorts and Grainiacs and all the events happening around the world:  "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2Cor1:3-4).  How comforting to know there are those in your corner.

Be that person to someone today.  We all hurt.  We all have low times.  God works in the world through us.

Have a great Monday, Grainiacs....time for me to read.

Strawberry (46 lbs to go)

TGIF

It's Friday! My pity-party has come and gone.  And it's time to get to work: today is CARD DAY!!!!  You might remember a post a while back when I posted about my sedentary lifestyle and my hobbies were even sedentary.  Well I stood and made a card (I even kicked my legs back and forth for more movement--yep, I looked pretty silly!) and here you go.... one standing up card made while I was standing up!

notice the clean counter-top?  Oh yeah, it's clean!

I was feeling so productive yesterday that I even straightened up my messy shelf.  It is next to the computer table so I tend to stack stuff on top of each other thinking "I'll get to it later."  Flylady (the home and life organization guru) has a name for it: hot spots.  She encourages her flybabies to put away anything that has accumulated on that hot spot BEFORE you go to bed.


Hot Spot BEFORE:

Hello???? I'm screaming for attention here!!!

and AFTER:

Much better.  Whew, I can breathe again.

The best thing is I found a book that might or might not help with the job searching.  Score!

So, Grainiacs, there is always a silver-lining in everything.  Sometimes you just have to straighten up a bit to find it.... oh and have really supportive friends!  Love you.

Blue, blue, my aura is blue

Last night it hit me....All of my "life" work....all I have studied....all I have committed to becoming a Christian educator in parish ministry is over.

You see I picked a field whose "heyday" is now "Hey! It ain't yer day anymore!"  It is "has" day and it "has" me a little blue.

Don't get me wrong; I love studying the Bible. I love teaching the Bible. Even my book shelf screams "STUDY!!!"

 

hope my Valley of the Dolls is hidden from view!!!  hahaha

I love all things church.  It can still be my vocation, but bills are piling and debt is still due and well, I will not be able to commit as much time to those things as before.

Please pray for me.  I have submitted resumes.  A couple of months ago, I received a "Dear John" letter (via the internet. WHAT??? Have we gotten to the point where you can call on the phone for an interview but the "we are going in a different direction" comes in an email???  Shame on you.)

I AM looking forward to this new chapter in my life, but right now I grieve for the former.
 

TGIF!!!

It's Friday!  It's Friday!!  It's Friday!!!  That means card-making night.  Whoo hoo.  I sure wish I could make cards all day.....but first I have to clean out my card room (aka the junk room).  I did it.  I didn't mean for it to happen, but I just can't help myself.  I HAVE to HAVE a junk room.  Period.  I got rid of the twin beds in the "guest room"-- guests will have to sleep on the pull out couch if you are a college kid OR Boy will be kicked out of his room for my older, more special guests! 

That will be my next project.  I just have to say the kitchen counter is still clean!!!! except for those kitty paw prints, but no junk....and no I didn't move it into the junk room! It was tempting, though.

I received a Friday Funny from Pansy and one cartoon in particular caught my attention.  I was discussing this with my gal pals at cards one day.

In order to lose some weight and inches, I need to get off my butt.....M.O.V.E., Strawberry!  But what hobby did I take up?  One where I have to sit on my butt!  I thought today (in the privacy of my home)  I would try to make a card while walking in place or kicking up my heels or doing something active.  I will post the card on Monday and you can tell me if I nailed it or it needs to be nailed to the garbage can as something to never do again!

Till Monday, Grainiacs.

I don't know who to credit, but you nailed it, dude or dudette!

 

For your eyes only

I live in the heat of South Texas.  It is no secret that large....ahem....bosom-ed woman are uncomfortable ......no.....miserable. ---- in hell.  Thank you, one side of the Strawberry family!  (My father was adopted so I don't really feel comfortable blaming his side; although if I get hot enough --temper-wise, and yes I do believe I could blame HIS side for that-- I just might blame big boobs on them!!!)

And it keeps passing on down... Since the age of 15 one daughter has continuously asked for breast reduction surgery-- every Christmas!

While visiting Working Girl,  I chanced upon this baby!  It is a pillow with some cooling gel in it. How cool is that?!?!

As I was sopping up the sweat (you know where) yesterday morning after a mere feeding the birds jaunt, I thought "What a cool idea!"  I need that cooling gel stuff in my bra!  So I decided to look up cooling bras or cool gel bras.  Note to Grainiacs:  Be vewy, vewy careful what sites you open up when you google search bras or boobs.  Just warnin' ya!

I found mostly sports bras that said "keep cool."  Okay, I know most big-breasted women do NOT want more substance in their bras, but honestly I do!!!  I want some of that pillow cooling gel in mine!!!!  Why hasn't someone developed it yet.

I guess until I figure out how to cool down my bra, I'll have to stuff it with Kleenex and hope I don't leave a Hansel and Gretal trail of rolled up Kleenex along my path! Now that would be embarrassing!!

Signing off,
Strawberry (45 pounds to go)

A wrinkle in Un

I can see where my un-list can produce results like the old farmer going out to feed the cow and the cow died.

This morning I looked in my laundry bin and thought: I need to do laundry.  Boom! Laundry in the washer.  I then went to make coffee and thought: I need to clean off that dang kitchen counter and while I'm at it, I'll clean the sink.  Boom!  Complete.

This is great! This is wonderful, thought Strawberry!

Coffee made. One cup consumed. Opened the window shades.  Oh poor birdies!  You are no Francis of Assisi, Strawberry!!!  Out to feed the birdies.  Okay, this is working.  Phew! I stink.  Just that little bit of working in the So. TX heat and off to the showers, Stinky!!

Washer done.  Into the dryer.  Wow.  I'm really cocky now.  I think I've got it....

Uh oh.  Baby Kitty just darted by without her new collar. (Had to take her to the vet yesterday).

How many ways in CAT can you say "I hate you!!!"

Meanwhile the dog is going into spastic restlessness.  I think I took too long to give him his flea medicine (something else I thought of today thanks to my un-list).  The fleas must really be biting.  He is absolutely tearing up anything he can find.

Ding! the dryer stops.

WAIT!!! I'm not ready to take the clothes out yet.  Plus I started my blog and I'm afraid I'll lose my thought if I get up now!!!!

Stop scratching, Garbage Gut!  Leave the magazine stack alone!!!!

Grrrrrrowl.  What's that sound?

I forgot to eat this morning.  

Yep, just call me Farmer Strawberry

Who you calling a pig?

I found this little essay in my draft folder.  I tried looking back to see if I posted it under a different name or added to a ramble I was already rambling about!  I couldn't find it so I'm posting it today.  

I'm running a little experiment right now and I am my own guinea pig!  The results are not in yet but I wanted to give you, dear Grainiac, a head's up.

Most of you know I'm really spontaneous.  Lists scare me and most of the time I   throw them away   (ahem) lose them.  For a new year's goal I decided I would NOT make lists.  I do, however, make a list for Hubby when he goes grocery shopping, otherwise we'd be out of toilet paper...like always!

I am happy to report that so far my un-list is going along splendidly.  Here is the Un-List in a nutshell: when I think of something that needs to be done, I do it immediately.  For example, I have been "thinking" about cleaning off the kitchen counter- you know, that hot spot that keeps accumulating junk!  In the past I'd put it on the list of things that needed to get done.  That blasted list kept getting longer and longer and I was so overwhelming that I chose not to get to it (the list, I mean).  Consequently nothing was really getting done.  In my new Un-List mentality, the other morning I thought about that kitchen counter and bam....cleaned off (and no, I didn't pick up the junk and move it to a different location--I know you thought that's what I did!!).  I took the 10 - 15 minutes to go through all the papers and put away all the knick-knacks that didn't belong.

Do you have a "going against your grain" idea?  Send it to me. 

So here's the update.  I must have started this un-list closer to the new year rather than the end of that year!  I always start out gung-ho (you know me!) and life gets busy and things start taking precedence and well, I forget.  Yes, as shocking as that may sound (stop laughing!!!), I do start things and don't complete them.  Thankfully I have this blog to go back and see what I've been working on or not working on.  It is my journal.  So in keeping things real, I took a picture of aforementioned counter top!

Don't judge! I'm weak, I tell ya

 

 

Monday, Monday

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day!  or can we???

I'm not sure who posted this on FB but credit goes to the cartoonist listed on the picture.  If it were only that easy!!!  Now I have Monday, Monday stuck in my head.

I love to sing.  I grew up listening to Elvis, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Eddie Arnold, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, show tunes, you name it.  My parents' LP collection is eclectic and my taste in music has encompassed KISS, Queen, Abba, Glen Campbell, Disney songs, Christian melodies.

My life is pretty eclectic too.  The house is decorated from early nothing to late "what the hell is that?"

My eating habits have been the same.  I'm giving up Diet Coke but I'm drinking Diet Dr. Pepper instead (so did I really give up the sodas????).  Baby-steps, remember, Strawberry.

My commitments are taking baby-steps too.  I've over-committed myself.  I do that.  But I'm being pro-active and little by little, getting the things done.  I'm not waiting till the last minute to study, to write, to eat, etc.

I'm feeling in control today; can you tell?

Happy Monday.  May your day be as relaxing as Annie's.

back off with the camera!

Signing off,
Strawberry (46 pounds to go)

baby.....steps

I think I know why old married couples choose to start sleeping in separate beds....even separate rooms.  It's a little known fact that we ALL need our hibernation time.  Of late it has eluded me.  I awake bright-eyed and busy-tailed at 1 a.m. (NO, Strawberry, it is not time to wake), 3 a.m. (damn it), 4 a.m. (crap, might as well get up) and thus begins my day!!!I'm a mad bear waddling down the hall kicking anything that gets into my way...usually a squeaky dog toy (yes, my fur-babies know it is not time to get up!).  Last night I decided I needed my sleep (thanks to the non-habit forming commercial, I remembered I had some Z-Quil).  Slept through the night and I'm lovin' it!

I don't usually watch TV in the afternoons but yesterday I tuned in to the Dr. Oz show.  The first part of the episode was about an increase of women having heart attacks before the age of 55.  I knew what would be said.  Let's face it: we ALL know is going to be said about prevention.

1) eat right
2) exercise
3) get yer sleep
4) handle the stress
5) pay attention to the warning signs

One woman who had a heart attack at 32 said she knew heart disease was in her family yet she didn't exercise (unless it was to cancel out the fact she wanted to eat cake after supper).  She loved any food handed to her in a sack and she said she got chills eating anything out of a crinkly sounding paper.

Fast Food.  my downfall.  

There was another woman who had a heart attack at 27.  She DID exercise and eat right.

Each woman's story reminded me how precious we are.  Earthly life is not a "given forever"; we have a time table.  It's okay to splurge once in a while, but if it is every day, we will reap the consequences at a later time.  I'll never forget hearing about a woman who just had a baby.  She was manical (my new word of the day!  Okay, fine "manic" to all you teachers out there) about losing the baby weight.  She finally worked out to grand mal seizures and a life-ending heart attack.  Her body needed to recuperate from the stress of child-birth, but all this woman could think of was a hot bod.

Moderation.  Baby steps for those of us with addictive personalities.

Yesterday I cut out diet coke.  I don't plan to drink anymore but if I do, I will NOT go to the store and buy a 44 oz fountain drink.  I have a few cold 12 oz bottles in the frig.  I know they are there.  I know I can have one.  But I have to drink responsibly.  My habit can take over in a blink of an eye.  I've gone cold turkey before and know I can do it.  I also know all it takes is one wrong move and I'm on that Diet Coke truck again and spiraling toward the first convenient store with a soda machine and $1.61 in my hand!

Baby, baby steps.

I'm linking (or hope to link) Dr. Oz's show from yesterday.
 
Doctor Oz on heart attack.

 I hope you can open this file.  If not, go to "doctoroz.com" and watch his Thursday's episode.

Happy Friday and Weekend, Grainiacs.

Signing off,
Strawberry (48 lbs to go)

Goooooooooood Morning, Monday!

I can't help but say it like Robin Williams.  The initial shock of his death has subsided.  I don't know why I took it so personally.  I didn't personally know RW.  His wife(wives) were not not buddies.  I tried (painfully, I might add) watching his recent sitcom.  Note to aging actors: if you want a successful sitcom, call Betty White!!  She's your girl.  I don't care what she does, she is hilarious.  My new favorite show is Hot in Cleveland. She makes it.  And of course I continue to watch The Golden Girls reruns at night.  I remember watching the show a little bit in my younger days but let's face it, now that I AM the age of their characters, it is so much funnier.  I'm not ready to join the Red Hat Society, though (they just look silly, but who knows, you might see me walking down the street in a red hat and purple bathing suit....then you'll know it is time to commit me!).  But I digress AGAIN!

RW's death hit many of us right between the eyes because he seemed to have his poop together.  Of course I didn't "follow" him on Twitter or People magazine.  Actually I didn't realize he had a drug problem...or if I did...I forgot.  It seems hard to be in Hollywood and NOT have a drug problem.  I can't imagine pushing my child into it, but when we hear of child stars "firing" their parents as their business partners,...well, I guess some do.

And RW was a child (relatively) when he broke into the show biz scene.  Happy Days.  Who doesn't remember Mork from Ork making his appearance and wham....his own show?  Those of us in our teens, DID grow up with RW.  We watched him grow, mature, and become the caring individual.  The pensive RW picture that everyone is showing is definitely NOT the person we are used to seeing.  There is sadness behind those eyes....almost as if he was saying "if you only knew me."

In my youth I remember my friends saying to me "Your dad is so funny; is he this way all the time?"  Yes, my Dad was an entertainer and loved life, but he was not "on call" 24-7.  His job was stressful.  He cut loose on weekends and was able to leave his work behind and enjoy his family and friends then.

I guess I bring this up because we all have skeletons we'd prefer not to show.  I truly believe we lie to ourselves and others if everything is a party.  We all need someone to talk to; to let our hair down and say "this is me."  Love me or leave me.  God created us to be in community with one another.  My prayer is you have a community.

So here's the awful truth.  I've been busy taking care of everything else other than my diet plan.  What?  you ask.  HA, I say.  This is the reality I call the Strawberry Patch.  2 steps forward....3 steps back.  Back and forth.  Yes and no.  Positive and negative.  Well, you get the see-saw idea....up and down.  Thank God, I have a new day; a new week; a new month to try, try again.

Unfortunately I must sign off as Strawberry.....50 pounds to go.  Just keeping it real.

The power of....what's that word again?

N   __.

I'd  like to buy a vowel, Vanna.

Sometimes I feel like I'm on Wheel of Fortune and the answer is staring me right in the face but I don't get it.

That two little word is so powerful and yet so deadly.

Being able to say "no" to someone or something gives us power.  It says I choose to do the important things and whatever you just asked is not on my list.

Yes, it does hurt....especially if you have "savior syndrome."  

I am the only one who can help.

They need Me, otherwise they would have asked someone else to do it.

But saying "no" is more than giving up control in that instance; it is giving someone else a chance to help...to feel needed.  Side note: if no one steps up to the plate, it might be a good idea to just let that project go.  "Let it go; let it go"  sing along with me!

Here's the danger part of NO.

One does not take time for oneself.  The healthy eating plan gets pushed aside to busy-ness and before you know it, you are in line at McDonald's (AGAIN!!!).

Not being able to say "no" robs one of sleep.  You find yourself awake at 1:30 a.m. writing letters and thinking about the upcoming event (you know, the one you didn't ask for help and now you are doing it all alone?!?).

2 big stressors--- over eating or not eating the right balance of food AND lack of sleep.

So now that you know what I've been up to, how about you?  All well outside the Strawberry Patch?

In brighter news, I heard an amazing health report by one Grainiac.  Praise God!!!!!!

Keep working on the power of NO.

Signing off,
Strawberry
48 pounds to go.